IT IS clear that changes to drugs laws in this country are needed in, but complete decriminalisation is not necessarily the answer.

The Health and Social Care Select Committee's report calls for drug possession for personal use to become a civil matter has sent shock waves through politics this week.

There is that argument that alcohol and tobacco would be illegal if they came out today due to the dangers they pose, which weren't necessarily understood at first.

And, that in mind, we must always remember the dangers all these substances present.

The concept of simply decriminalising everything could lead to people trying substances that weren't even on their radar before.

But at the same time, Ed Davies, director of policy at the Centre for Social Justice, suggesting a decriminalisation of drugs would be "dangerously regressive" is simplifying things too much.

While the idea that something akin to speed awareness courses for those found in possession of drugs seems naive and not really hitting the matter head on, which is surely removing the underworld element.